Lesson Plan: Equivalent Fractions

Lesson Objectives

  • Students will be able to explain the concept of equivalent fractions.
  • Students will be able to recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions.
  • Students will be able to model equivalent fractions using visual representations.

Common Core Standards

  • 3.NF.A.3.A - Explain equivalence of fractions in special cases, and compare fractions by reasoning about their size.
  • 3.NF.A.3.B - Recognize and generate simple equivalent fractions, e.g., 1/2 = 2/4, 4/6 = 2/3. Explain why the fractions are equivalent.

Prerequisite Skills

  • Understanding fractions and terminology
  • Ability to model fractions visually

Key Vocabulary

  • Equivalent fractions

Warm-up Activity (5 minutes)

Introduce visual models for fractions and a brief introduction to equivalent fractions using this resource:

 https://www.media4math.com/library/43531/asset-preview

Teach (15 minutes)

Define Equivalent Fractions

Use this slideshow to review fraction definitions. This also includes a definition for the term equivalent fraction:

https://www.media4math.com/library/slideshow/fraction-definitions

Follow up with this video definition of an equivalent fraction:

https://www.media4math.com/library/74765/asset-preview

Explain that equivalent fractions are different ways of representing the same value or amount. They may have different numerators and denominators, but they represent the same portion of a whole.

Use this slideshow to explain equivalent fractions in more detail:

 https://www.media4math.com/library/slideshow/equivalent-fractions

 

Identifying Equivalent Fractions

Use this resource to demonstrate how to tell if two fractions are equivalent:

https://www.media4math.com/library/43530/asset-preview

Use this resource to demonstrate equivalent fractions on a number line:

 https://www.media4math.com/library/43532/asset-preview

Procedures for Generating Equivalents

Introduce the concept of multiplying or dividing the numerator and denominator by the same non-zero number to generate equivalent fractions, using examples from Media4Math and Education.com. Provide examples and have students practice generating equivalent fractions using this method.

Use this slideshow to show examples of generating equivalent fractions:

 https://www.media4math.com/library/slideshow/examples-generating-equivalent-fractions

Review (5 minutes)

Introduce this math game to review equivalent fractions:

https://www.media4math.com/library/4845/asset-preview

Review equivalent fractions with this worksheet:

https://www.media4math.com/library/37046/asset-preview

Assess (10 minutes)

Distribute a 10-question quiz (see below) for students to complete independently. This will assess their understanding of recognizing and generating equivalent fractions. 

Quiz

  1. Which fraction is equivalent to 3/6? 
    a) 1/2
    b) 2/3
    c) 1/3
    d) 2/4
  2. Generate an equivalent fraction for 5/10. 
  3. Are 4/8 and 3/6 equivalent fractions? Explain your reasoning using a visual model. 
  4. Write two equivalent fractions for 1/4.
  5. Which fraction is not equivalent to 2/3? 
    a) 4/6
    b) 6/9
    c) 8/12
    d) 5/7
  6. Generate an equivalent fraction for 7/14 by multiplying the numerator and denominator by the same number. 
  7. Represent the equivalent fractions 3/6 and 1/2 using visual models.
  8. Explain why 6/12 and 1/2 are equivalent fractions.
  9. Which pair of fractions is not equivalent? 
    a) 2/4 and 1/2
    b) 3/9 and 1/3
    c) 5/10 and 1/2
    d) 4/8 and 2/4
    e) All fraction pairs are equivalent.
  10. Generate an equivalent fraction for 3/9 by dividing the numerator and denominator by the same number. 

Answers

  1. a) 1/2
  2. Accept any fraction that simplifies to 1/2.
  3. Yes, they are equivalent fractions because 4/8 and 3/6 represent the same portion of a whole. 
  4. Accept any pair of fractions that simplify to 1/4.
  5. c and d.
  6. Accept any fraction that simplifies to 1/2.
  7. Check student's work.
  8. Both fractions in simplest form are 1/2.
  9. e.
  10. Accept any fraction that simplifies to 1/3.

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